Flotation agent



STATES METALS RECOVERY COMPANY,

MAINE- OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF FLOTATION' AGENT. f

No Drawing. Application filed December 3, 1918, Serial No. 265,164. Renewed March 12, 1921.

A Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Serial To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CLEMENT L.'PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flotation Agents; and I do hereby declare the follow- 7 ing tdbe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others make and use the same. i

This invention relates to compositions for use as flotation agents in the concentration of minerals by flotation. i

The flotation agents of the present invention comprise a mixture of two or more amino compounds, which mixture is available in liquid form for addition to the mineral pulp to be concentrated, and which is readily disseminated or distributed throughout such pulp. v

In the preferred embodiment of the in vention the composite flotation agent is made up of a solution 0 a solid amino compound, 25 such as alphaor beta-naphthylarnin, in a liquid amino compound, such as xylidin, both the solid and liquid amino compounds being good flotation agents and cooperating to promote the flotation operation. he advantages of the invention may nevertheless to a lesser extent be obtained with compositions of amino compounds, one or more of which is a good flotation agent, and one or more of which may not in itself be a good flotation agent. For example, a solid amino compound which is itself a good flotation agent may be dissolved in a liquid amino compound which is readily miscible with water, and the solid amino compound can be thereby rendered more readily available as a flotation agent, even though the liquid amino compound may not in itself be a good flotation agent. Among the liquid amino compounds which may thus be 'used as solvents may be mentioned anilin, xylidin, toluidin, quinolin, pyridin, di-methylanilin, etc.

The composition which I have found most advantageous is a composition made by dissolving .alpha-naphthylamin in xylidin in such proportions that the resulting composition is of a liquid character. Alpha-naphthylamin itself is a good flotation agent, but owing to its solid non-oleaginous character skilled in the art to which it appertains to and the degree of its insolubility, its distribution throughout the ore pulp with sufficient uniformity presents certain difliculties. By dissolving it in xylidin, which is itself readily miscible with water, the alpha-naphthylamin becomes readily miscible with water, and the solution containing the naphthylamin can be readily distributed throughout the ore pulp. Xylidin itself is a flotation agent, and has an effectiveness comparable with that of the alpha-naphthylamin. Accordingly, the xylidin not only acts as a solvent of the alpha-naphthylamin, but it enables a materially less amount thereof to be employed than'where the alpha-naphthylamin is used alone.

The proportion of alpha-naphthylamin and xylidin can be varied, for example, from 70 parts of alphanapthylamin and 30 parts of xylidin to 30 parts of alphanapthylamin and 70 parts of xylidin. The proportions which I have usually found best are about 60 parts of alpha-napthylamin dissolved in about 40 parts of xylidin. Solution can be readily effected by introducing the solid alpha-napthylamin into the liquid xylidin, and heatlng to promote the solution. The resulting solution is sufiiciently liquid so that it can readily be handled with the ordinary oil feeders commonly employed in flotation.

The proportions of the alpha-napthylamin and xylidin may thus be varied to suit the temperature of the ore pulp. For instance, with pulp containing quite cold water, more of the xylidin will preferably be employe say from 50 to 60%; and such a composition can be more readily disseminated throughout the ore pulp, as in case not very much time is allowed to elapse between the addition of the composition and the beginning of the actual flotation, or where the piilp is" not subjected to agitation or stirring in the meantime. Compositions containing xylidin, for example, 2501- 30%,: can be used where the water of the ore pulp is quite warm, or where suflicient time or stirring enables the desired disseminatic through the pulp to take place. I

The composition of alpa-napthylamin and xylidin has the further advantage that it provides a flotation agent having marked selective action and good 'fi'othing qualities, owing to the marked selective action less .2o 3 or more of which is of the alpha-napthylamin and the marked frothing qualities of the xylidin. Accordingly, from one view point, the cmp0siti0n of the present invention may be considered to comprise a mixture of amino compounds having a marked selective action and good frothin qualities.

Anot ler advantageous embodiment of the in which the flotation agents of the present invention are employed, inasmuch as such process forms the subject matter of a separate application, Serial Number 265,165, filed December 3, 1918.

I claim;

l, compound flotation agent comprising a solution of a solid amino compound in a invention is a solution of alpha-napthylamin liquid amino compound readily miscible! in quinolin Quinolin itself has adx antages ,Wlth water. a

advantages while it is otherwise of the general composition and with the advantageous properties referred to.

From another view -vent1on may be considered to provide a a mixture or compound of different amino compounds,v one solid, and one or more of which is a liquid readily Water, which serves as a solvent of the solid amino compound and facilitates its distribution throughout the ore pulp and its action in flotation. V 7

he amino compounds employed need not b chemically pure, but'they may be used in their crude and impure condition, p vided they do not contain impurities prejudicial to the flotation operation.-

do not claim herein the such as have been above miscible with napthylamin in about 40 flotation process 2. A compound flotation agent comprising a mixture of amino compounds having a marked selective action and good frothmg qualities.

3 A compound flotation agent comprising a solution of a solid aromatic amino compound in a liquid aromatic amino compound.

4. A compound flotation agent comprising a solution of napthylamin in a liquid amino compound readily miscible with water. 5. A compound flotation agent comprising *a solution of alpha-napthylamin in xylidin.

6. A compound flotation agent comprising a solution of about 60 parts of a1 haparts of xyhdin. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLEMENT LINWOOD PERKINS. 

